1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cleaning device for a vehicular lamp and more particularly to a cleaning device for cleaning the font cover of a vehicular lamp.
2. Description of the Related Art
A cleaning device for a vehicular lamp is mounted in a vehicle such as an automobile and cleans off the dirt on the front cover (front cover lens) of, for instance, a headlamp.
The cleaning device for a vehicular lamp typically has a spray nozzle on the distal end portion of a piston, which is driven by a cylinder. With the piston projected out of the cylinder, cleaning fluid (water) supplied via the internal portion of the cylinder and piston is sprayed from the spray nozzle toward the front cover lens of a vehicular lamp.
When not used, the piston is retracted inside the cylinder, and the spray nozzle is accordingly positioned at a standby position in a vehicle body, in other words, in, for example, the inside of an opening formed in, for instance, the bumper. When the cleaning device is used, the spray nozzle is extended out of the opening to a use position. However, if the cylinder is not adequately positioned with respect to the opening, the moving path of the spray nozzle caused by the movement of the piston becomes unstable, causing a problem that the spray nozzle and piston hit the edge of the opening or the like. Therefore, it is critical that the cylinder is accurately positioned with respect to the opening.
In the cleaning device for a vehicular lamp disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (Kokai) No. 2003-182536, tabs (46c), which are formed at the distal ends of the engagement positioning portions (46) of a bracket (38) that is attached to the front end portion of a cylinder, are engaged with the front surface of the edge portions of an opening (37) that are located at mutually opposed locations; in addition, the distal end portions of flat plate pieces (47) formed on the bracket (38) are set to contact with the edge portions of the opening that face the direction substantially at a 90-degree angle with respect to the edge portions of the opening with which the tabs (46c) are engaged. The front end portion of the bracket (38) is thus positioned at the opening; and attachment pieces (41) formed on the bracket (38) are secured by bolts to the vehicle body at locations away from the opening (37). The numbers in parentheses in the above and below descriptions are the reference numerals used in (the drawings of) Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (Kokai) No. 2003-182536.
As seen from the above, positioning of the front end portion of the bracket (38) is made with respect to the opening (37) in the above-described cleaning device; as a result, positioning of the spray nozzle with respect to the opening (37) is made indirectly.
In the cleaning device of the above-described Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (Kokai) No. 2003-182536, engagement of the front end portion of the bracket (38) with the opening (37) in the longitudinal direction is made only by the tabs (46c) that are engaged with the front surface of the edge portions of the opening. Accordingly, if the positions where the attachment pieces (41) are fixed and the location of the opening (37) are not accurately positioned (or aligned), excess force is likely to be applied to the tabs (46c) and engagement positioning portions (46), and the tabs (46c) are lifted (or separated) from the front surface of the edge portions of the opening (37), thus deteriorating the positioning state of the bracket. Deflection of the engagement positioning portions (46) that occurs in the direction of the center of the opening (37) also causes the tabs (46c) to be disengaged from the edge portions of the opening (37).